WHAT IS TECHNICAL WRITING?

● The process of gathering information from experts and presenting it to an audience

in a clear, easily understandable form.

(The Society for Technical Communication)

● It is a type of writing where the author is writing about a particular subject that
requires direction, instruction, or explanation.

(Yourdictionary.com)

● It is a specialized form of exposition: that is, written communication used in technical

and occupational fields especially in fields with specialized vocabularies such as
science, engineering, technology, and the health sciences.
● It is producing written outputs about the three fields of knowledge: SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY, and ENGINEERING. (computer hardware and software, engineering,
chemistry, aeronautics, robotics, finance, medical, consumer electronics,
biotechnology, and forestry)
● It is a type of writing that displays information on the paper to get results.
● It is within the writer’s field of profession or area of discipline composed of readers
who are familiar with the technical writer’s subject matter and writing style.

History of Technical Writing

A. It has been recognized as a profession since World War II.

B. Aristotle’s works’ Classical Antiquity (384-322 BC) and Doctrines of Pythagoras are
recognized as the earliest forms of technical writing
C. Geoffrey Chaucer’s work “Treatise on the Astrolabe” (dated 1326, an instrument used
for measuring the distance of stars, planets and for calculating the position of a ship)
is an example of technical document and the first technical document published.
D. With the invention of printing (15th century), document findings became a necessity.
Inventors and scientists like Isaac Newton and Leonardo da Vinci chronicled their
inventions and findings.
E. It grews more during the industrial revolution (new manufacturing processes - yr.
1760-1840). The need to instruct people how to use complex machines.
F. During the 20th century, the need skyrocketed and the profession finally became
officially recognized. The events in World War 1 and 2 led to advances in medicine,
military hardware, computer and earospace technologies.
G. Following World War II, technological advances led to an increase in consumer goods
and standards of living. Public services like libraries and universities, as well as
transport systems like buses and highways saw massic growth and the need for
writers to chronicle all these increases.
H. Instruction manual for the BINAC computer written by Joseph D. Chapline in 1949
was the first computational technical document.
 I. In 1953, two organizations were founded: the Society of Technical Writers and the
Association of Technical Writers and Editors. Today, they are known as Society for
Technical Communication. (STC)
J. During the 1960s, saw the growth of technology particularly in electronics and space
industries. 1970s and 1980s were marked by the expansion of the consumer
electronics into people’s lives in 1980s PCs arrived in the workplace, accompanied by
large manuals with names such as “Guide to Operation”.

HOW IS TECHNICAL WRITING DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FORMS AND STYLES OF

WRITING?

1. The subject matter is more important than the writer's voice. It uses an objective, not a
subjective, tone and it is direct and utilitarian, emphasizing exactness and clarity rather
than elegance or allusiveness.

2. Mike Markel notes in "Technical Communication," "The biggest difference between

technical communication and the other kinds of writing you have done is that technical
communication has different focus on audience and purpose.“

3. Computer Science Professor Raymond Greenlaw notes that: "writing style in technical
writing is more prescriptive than in creative writing. In technical writing, we are not so much
concerned about entertaining the audience as we are about conveying specific information
to our readers in a concise and precise manner.“

4. The definite purpose, strict format and use of appropriate language in technical writing
define the differences between technical writing and academic writing.

Differences of Technical and Non-Technical Writing:

Technical Non-Technical

a.Content factual, straight forward imaginative,metaphoric,symbolic

b.Audience specific general

c.Purpose inform, persuade, instruct entertain, provoke, captivate

d.Style formal, standard, academic informal, artistic, figurative

e.Tone objective subjective

f.Vocabulary specialized general, evocative

g.Organization sequential, systematic arbitrary, artistic

h.Visual Aids tables, drawings, charts, words that can fully narrate or
 graphs, maps and others to describe what the writer’s want

facilitate comprehension to put across

Characteristics of Technical Writing

1. It has technical subject matter.

2. It has a formal aspect.
3. It uses scientific point of view.
4. It uses special techniques – include: definition, description of a mechanism, and
description of a process.
5. It is clear and straight forward.
6. The language is very direct and straight to the point.
7. It is very detailed and informative.
8. It is very structured.

Uses of Technical Writing

- For example, instructions of all sorts are a perfect example of technical writing.

When you open up an instruction manual, as the reader, the goal is to be informed about
the product so that you can use it as efficiently as possible.

- Lab reports are another example of technical writing. The main purpose of a lab report is
to explain the occurrences in a lab so that others will be able to gain information.

- Driving directions can be considered a type of technical writing as the goal is to clearly and
efficiently provide instructions on how to go from point A to point B.

- Overall, technical writing is a very useful form of writing that is encountered by everyone
almost every day.

Specific Examples of Technical Writing:

A. Business letters

B. Oral reports; kinds of reports

C. Graphic aids

D. Instruction manuals

E. Policy manuals

F. Process manuals

G. User manuals
H. Reports of analysis

I. Instructions for assembling a product

J. Memoranda

K. Proposals

L. Brochures

M. Abstracts

N. Specifications

O. Press release

Definition, Types, Consequences and How to Avoid Plagiarism

What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the representation of another 's langauage, thoughts, ideas, or expressions

as one's own original work.

As defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Plagiarism is the act of using another person's

words or ideas without giving credit to that person : the act of plagiarizing something.

Etymology

In the 1st century, the use of the Latin word "plagiarius" (literally "kidnapper") to denote
stealing someone else's work was pioneered by the Roman poet Martial, who complained
that another poet had "kidnapped his verses". Plagiary, a derivative of plagiarus, was
introduced into English in 1601 by dramatist Ben Johnson during the Jacobean Era to
describe someone guilty of literary theft.

The derived form plagiarism was introduced into English around 1620.The Latin plagiārius,
"kidnapper", and plagium, "kidnapping", have the root plaga ("snare", "net"), based on the
Indo-European root *-plak, "to weave" (seen for instance in Greek plekein, Bulgarian
"плета" pleta, and Latin plectere, all meaning "to weave").
Common Reasons Why Students Plagiarize:

There are many reasons students choose to plagiarize or cheat. Reasons range from the
more genuine lack of knowledge to outright dishonorable intentions. Collectively, the most
frequently stated reasons students choose to plagiarize or cheat include:

● Desire to get a good grade

● Fear of failing
● Procrastination or poor time management
● Disinterest in the assignment
● Belief they will not get caught
● Confusion about what constitutes plagiarism or current university policies

FORMS/TYPES OF PLAGIARISM

1.Complete/Global plagiarism is the most severe form of plagiarism where a researcher

takes a manuscript or study that someone else created, and submits it under his or her
name. It is tantamount to intellectual theft and stealing .

2.Source-Based plagiarism may occur because of the different types of sources. For
example, when a researcher references a source that is incorrect or does not exist, it is a
misleading citation. Plagiarism also occurs when a researcher uses a secondary source of
data or information, but only cites the primary source of information.

3.Direct or verbatim plagiarism occurs when an author copies the text of another author,
word for word, without the use of quotation marks or attribution, thus passing it as his or
her own.

4.Auto-plagiarism, also known as self-plagiarism or duplication, happens when an

author reuses significant portions of his or her previously published work without
attribution.

5. Paraphrasing/incremental plagiarism -It involves the use of someone else’s writing

with some minor changes in the sentences and using it as one’s own. Even if the words
differ, the original idea remains the same and plagiarism occurs.

6. Inaccurate authorship or misleading attribution can happen in two ways:

In one form, when an individual contributes to a manuscript but does not get credit for
it.

The second form is the opposite: when an individual gets credit without contributing to
the work.

It is also possible to commit this form of plagiarism when someone else edits a
manuscript, leading to substantive changes. In this case, the recommendation is to
acknowledge the contributors at the time of publication, even if they are not listed as
authors.
7. Mosaic plagiarism may be more difficult to detect because it interlays someone else’s
phrases or text within its own research. It is also known as patchwork plagiarism and it is
intentional and dishonest.

8. Accidental Plagiarism - plagiarism may be accidental if it occurred because of neglect,

mistake, or unintentional paraphrasing

WHY DOES PLAGIARISM MATTER?

-It is a breach of academic integrity.

-It is a principle of intellectual honesty that all members of the academic community should
acknowledge their debt to the originators of the ideas, words, and data which form the basis
for their own work.

-Passing off another’s work as your own is not only poor scholarship, but also means that
you have failed to complete the learning process.

-Plagiarism is unethical and can have serious consequences for your future career.

-it also undermines the standards of your institution and of the degrees it issues.

WHY SHOULD YOU AVOID PLAGIARISM?

-You have come to university to learn to know and speak your own mind, not merely to
reproduce the opinions of others - at least not without attribution.

-Avoid plagiarism because you aspire to produce work of the highest quality.

-It is important to appreciate that mastery of the techniques of academic writing is not
merely a practical skill, but one that lends both credibility and authority to your work, and
demonstrates your commitment to the principle of intellectual honesty in scholarship.

CONSEQUENCES OF PLAGIARISM?

Republic Act No. 8293 - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

IMPRISONMENT – first offend 1-3 years; second 3-6 years; 3rd offend 6 to 9 years

HEFTY FINES – first 50,000 to 150,000 ; second 150, 000 to 500, 000; third 500,00 – 1.5
million pesos

DESTROYED STUDENT/PROFESSION REPUTATION

LEGAL REPERCUSSIONS

MONETARY REPERCUSSIONS
HOW TO AVOID PLAGIARISM?

A. PARAPHRASE - read it and put it into your own words. Make sure that you do not copy
verbatim more than two words in a row from the text you have found. If you do use more
than two words together, you will have to use quotation marks.

B. CITE - Citing is one of the effective ways to avoid plagiarism. Follow the document
formatting guidelines (i.e. APA, MLA) used by educational institution that issued the
research request. This usually entails the addition of the author(s) and the date of the
publication or similar information.

C. QUOTING - When quoting a source, use the quote exactly the way it appears.

D. CITING QUOTES - Citing a quote can be different than citing paraphrased material. This
practice usually involves the addition of a page number, or a paragraph number in the case
of web content.

E. CITING YOUR OWN MATERIAL - If some of the material you are using for your research
paper was used by you in your current class, a previous one, or anywhere else you must
cite yourself. Treat the text the same as you would if someone else wrote it.

F. REFERENCING - One of the most important ways to avoid plagiarism is including a

reference page or page of works cited at the end of your research paper. Again, this page
must meet the document formatting guidelines used by your educational institution.